Any guitarist who's picked up a banjo knows that there's a rather large distinction between the two instruments. While many of the same skills translate from one to another, venturing into legitimate banjo–playing territory is not as easy as just adding a 5–string to your collection.

One way that various manufacturers have worked to make the banjo sound more attainable for guitarists is with 6–string banjo–guitar hybrids, like this new offering from the Deering Banjo Company.

These banjos feature necks that mimic those of a guitar, so a guitarist is able to translate the shapes they're already familiar with directly onto the otherwise banjo–styled instrument. These hybrid instruments have existed for awhile, and this is not the first iteration that Deering has released.

This is, however, the first hybrid banjo that falls into their immensely popular and budget–friendly beginner Goodtime series. All of the instruments in Deering's Goodtime line are affordable, well–constructed, and widely considered the go–to choices for those just starting on the instrument.

And now that they've added this hybrid to that line for just under $700 new, they've made the banjo barrier to entry that much less of an issue for guitarists hoping to expand their repertoire.